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Tundo Propels Stony Brook to America East Title

Despite sub-.500 record, Seawolves headed to NCAA
tournament

from press
releases

STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- Jeff Tundo scored four
goals and added an assist to lead Stony Brook to a 14-8 win over
Albany in the America East Conference men's lacrosse championship
game Saturday at LaValle Stadium. Goalie Sean Brady, named the
championship's most outstanding player, made 11 saves in a
complete-game performance. Stony Brook (7-9) earned an automatic
bid to the NCAA tournament, becoming just the third team in history
to reach the tournament with a record under .500. (Hobart did it in
2002 and Providence in 2007.)

"In a transition year with the graduation of the best senior
class in school history and a change in coaching staff, it's hard
to predict what's going to happen," Seawolves head coach Jim Nagle
said. "Considering all the one-goal games and the slow start to the
season, it's nice that we played our best game of the season when
it mattered most."

Albany's America East Player of the Year Joe Resetarits was held
to one goal and one assist by the Seawolves, but ends his career
scoring a goal in 49 consecutive games.

Stony Brook scored first, as Matt Bellando picked up a ground
ball in front of the Albany net and found the back of the net at
6:10. Bellando doubled the score for the Seawolves, taking an
assist from Robbie Campbell with 3:29 left to play in the
first.

Miles Thompson got Albany on the board with 1:30 left to play in
the first, taking an assist from Joe Resetarits. However, Cole
Millican picked up the ball after a Albany turnover and found the
back of the net to give Stony Brook a 3-1 lead after one.

Tundo gave the Seawolves a 4-1 advantage with an unassisted goal
at 12:21 of the second quarter. Albany cut the lead to 4-2 at
10:24, getting a Thompson-from-Thompson goal - Lyle finding the
back of the net off an assist from brother Miles. Lyle added his
second of the game with just over eight minutes left to play,
getting an unassisted shot past Stony Brook goalkeeper Sean Brady
to cut the deficit to 4-3. Resetarits scored his first goal of the
game, tying the score at 4-4 with 3:30 left to play in the
second.

However, Stony Brook responded with an unassisted shot from
Tundo, with just under two minutes on the clock. Ty and Lyle
Thompson connected with eight seconds left to play in the half to
tie the game at 5-5 at the break.

Russ Bonanno broke the tie to start the second half, with an
unassisted goal at 13:01 of the third quarter, before Tundo put the
Seawolves on top by two, 7-5, at 8:39.

JJ Laforet came up with the faceoff win after the Tundo goal,
and drove down to score, giving Stony Brook a three-goal advantage
with 8:23 to play in the third. The Seawolves tacked on
back-to-back goals, pushing the lead to 10-5 with 3:11
left. As the clock wound down under a minute, Tundo passed the
ball to a jumping Mike Rooney, who converted a shot behind Albany
goalkeeper Max Huber.

The Seawolves continued to roll into the fourth quarter, getting
a goal from Graham Adams at 12:05 to put Stony Brook up, 12-5.
Albany finally ended its scoring drought, getting another goal from
Ty Thompson, with an assist to Miles, pulling within 12-6 at 11:47.
Robbie Campbell tacked on another goal with 8:27 left to play to
push the Stony Brook lead to 13-6.

Albany's Will Fuller took an assist from Lyle Thompson off the
faceoff win to pull back within six with just over eight minutes to
play. Fuller scored his second of the game with an assist from
Miles Thompson to cut the lead to 13-8 with 6:12 remaining.

But Tundo netted his fourth with 1:45 on the clock, and the
Seawolves held on for the 14-8 victory.

The stats were fairly even across the board, with Stony Brook
only outshooting Albany by one, 35-34, and winning one more
faceoff, going 13-of-25. The Seawolves did hold the advantage in
ground balls, 36-26.